Shaking-machine.



No. 763,329. PATENTED JUNE 21, 1904.

B. s. ROWNTREE.

SHAKING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED 001. 5, 1903.

N0 MODEL. 3 SHEET$-SHEBT 1 THE nonals PETERS co; PHOYO-LITNO., wAsumrruu. n. cy

PATBNTED JUNE 21, 1904. B. S. ROWNTREE.

SHAKING MACHINE.

ABPLIOATION FILED 00-1. a, 1903.

H0 MODEL.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

THE nonms PETERS m, PHOTDJJTHD, WASHINGTON, n, c.

PATENTED JUNE 21, 1904.

B. S. ROWNTRBE.

SHAKING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED 00125, 1903.

3 SHEBTEr-SHEET 3.

N0 MODEL.

UNITED I STATES Patented June 21, 1904.

PATENT OFFICE.

SHAKlNG-IVIACHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 763,329, dated June 21,1904.

Application filed October 5, 1903.

The Cocoa Works, York, aforesaid,) have in vented certain new and usefulImprovements in Shaking-Machines, (for which application has been madein Great Britain, No. 3,748, dated February 17, 1903,) of which thefollowing is a specification.

This invention has for its object a shakingmachine applicable forshaking chocolate into molds and other like purposes. Machines of thiskind hitherto have been liable to very serious defects. First, they aremost of them extremely noisy; secondly, the small loose pieces ofchocolate have nowhere to go and are thrown up against the chocolatesettling in the molds and stick thereto, making them look unsightly.

Now by my inventionI obtain an almost noiseless machine, and all theloose pieces of chocolate which would otherwise make unsightly thematerial settling in the molds are carried away for further utilization,while at the same time the power required and wear and tear on themachine are reduced.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure lis a sectional elevation of myimproved shakingmachine; Fig. 2, asectional end view; Fig. 3, a detailview of one form of spring-abutment; Fig. 4, a sectional end view of themachine with a few slight alterations in construction.

Referring first to Figs. 1, 2, and 3, a is a wirework or other perviousor somewhat elastic table or tray on which the molds with the chocolateare placed. Any small loose pieces of chocolate fall through thewirework a and are collected in the trays 0 below, 7) being deflectorswhich guide the pieces of chocolate into trays c where the trays are notcontinuous. The wirework of the table a deadens the noise which wouldotherwise be made by the metallic molds dancing up and down with theshaking, and the trays 0 rest on leather blocks 8.

(Z is a framework for the table-on which the wirework a is stretched,and there can be leather or other soft material inserted between thewirework a and this framework d, which Serial No. 175,855. (No model.)

latter is supported in such a manner that it can be moved freely in avertical direction, but is rigid horizontally. This can be done byforming it with stout projecting vertical legs f, sliding inverticalbearings g.

it represents elastic or spring devices, each formed of a block ofindia-rubber or a pneumatic pad, fixed to the framework'd and carrying asteel plate 9 below.

t represents cams on a horizontal shaft j below the steel plates 9,provided with a suitable number of rollers 75, revolving on pins 10.These cams moving against the aforesaid elastic or spring abutments 7b,attached to the lower face of the framework cl of the table a, impart tothe table a vibrating or shaking movement in an upward and downwarddirection, the slight resilience of the india-rubber pad h or pneumaticdevice preventing noise. In place of the pads h and steel plates 9 asteel spring or flexible band of steel or other suitable springy pad orbuffer can be fixed to the framework of the table, and in place ofrollers l" the cams could be provided with beaks or the like, so as tostrike the abutment, the latter giving slightly, and thus preventingnoise, so that the table arises and falls as each roller is or cam-beakpasses the center line, and a shaking or vibrating motion is set up. Itis obvious that there is no necessity for the springy pad or cushion, asthe case may be, to be fixed to the framework of the table. It can befixed to an oscillating or reciprocating arm, one end of which isconnected with the table directly or by a link, which, if desirable, canbe made adjustable in length by means of a right and left hand screwdevice or shackle. The entire weight of the table a and its frameworkneed not be carried by the shaking device, but can be supported oncolumns Z, having india-rubber pads m or the like fitted in sockets attheir upper end. These columns are mounted on the cast-iron centralbridge 1* between the said frames a. By this arrangement the shakingdevice lifts the table from its supports an as each roller 7. passes thecenter line, and then the tray falls again onto its support either bygravity or, preferably, by means of springs 0 in tension, one end ofwhich are coupled to the framework of the table and the other end to astem 0, screwed into the fixed part 7). The tension of the springs isadjustable by turning the stem 9 one way or the other to elongate orslacken the spring 0. The columns Z, carrying the india-rubber supports17?, are adjustable as regards height by mounting them in thecross-bridge 9*, sliding in guides between the main frames 12 of themachine.

.9 is a cross-frame fixed stationary in position between the frames at,and t is a screwshaft with a hand-lever e at the lower end, this shaftbeing screwed through a hole in this fixed part s and enters a hole inthe sliding cross-bridge 0'. By turning the lever c at end of thescrew-shaft 25, therefore, the crossbridge r is raised or lowered, asrequired, and can be locked in any position by the lockinglever w, thusrendering the columns Z ad justable as regards their height andincreasing or reducing the amount of vibration imparted to theshaking-table.

m represents the bearings in which the shaft 7 is mounted, and 7 afragment of the pulley for driving that shaft.

In thus describing my experimental apparatus I do not bind myself to theexact arrangement herein specified, as having once given the generalidea it is obvious that alterations can be made Without departing fromthe nature of the invention. The shakingtable a/ could, a. g., bemounted on one central shaft 2, which slides in the bearings 3. (Shownin Fig. 4.) At the lower end of this shaft is a plate 4, which restsupon the columns Z, fitted with rubber pads m, the columns beingadjustable in height by nuts. Below the plate 4 is a revolving cam 2',whose rollers Z strike against the springy pad or abutment It, and soset up a vibration of the vertical shaft 2, on top of which is abar-iron frame 5, with four pins 6, one at each corner. A movable wiretable or tray is dropped onto this frame 5, four lugs on the movabletray fitting onto the four pins 6, thus holding it in position.

WVhere my invention differs especially from all shaking-machines knownto me at the present time is, first, that there is a shaking deviceworking in a vertical direction against a yielding material attached tothe framework of the table a, and thus there is a direct up-and-downvibrating motion without the accompanying noise; secondly, there is asound-deadening device for preventing the noise of the dancing metallicmolds, which also incidentally acts as a means for carrying off brokenchocolate without interfering with the chocolate in the molds, and,thirdly, the weight of the tray in its return motion is brought to restby a cushion instead of striking a hard metallic stop, and consequentlythe revolving part of the shaking device can do its work without shocks,and each roller or beak of the cams rises to near its highest pointbefore coming in contact with the abutments on the framework. By thismeans the action works with much greater ease to the machine than whenthe framework falls back direct onto the shaking device.

I declare that what I claim is- 1. A shaking-machine for shakingconfectionery into molds, characterized by a pervious but somewhatelastic table (on which the molds are placed) mounted in such a mannerthat it can be moved freely in a vertical direction but is rigidhorizontally, elastic pads or abutments attached to or connected withthe under face of said table, and. shaking devices working against saidyielding abutments in such a manner as to set up a vertical vibration ofthe table without any accompanying noise.

2. In a shaking-machine for shaking confectionery into molds, a perviousand somewhat elastic table; a frame supporting said table; means forreciprocating said table vertically relative to said frame; supports onsaid frame adapted to support said table in itslowermost position;noise-deadening devices on said supports; yielding abutments on saidtableadapted to receive the impulses from the reciprocating meanssubstantially as described.

3. In a shaking-machine for shaking confectionery into molds a perviousand somewhat elastic table; a frame supporting said table; means forvertically reciprocating said table relative to said frame; trays onsaid frame and under said table; deflectors between said table and saidtrays and over said reciprocating means; substantially as and for thepurpose described.

4. In a shaking-machine for shaking confectionery into molds a table toreceive the molds; rotating cam means; yielding abutments on said table,adapted to receive impulses from said rotating cam means; a framesupporting said table and carrying said cam means; springs in tensionbetween said table and said frame; vertical guiding means for saidtable; supports adapted to receive said table in its lowermostpositions; and means for adjusting the height of said supportssubstantially as and for the purpose described.

5. In a shaking-machine for shaking confectionery into molds avertically-reciprocating table; a frame; guiding means between saidtable and said frame; a shaft horizontally mounted on said frame; camson said shaft; rollers on said cams; yielding abutments on said tableadapted to be struck by said camrollers; means for returning said tableto its lowermost position, substantially as and for the purposedescribed.

6. In a shaking-machine for shaking confectionery into molds a frame; atable vertically guided on said frame; rotating cam means for raisingsaid table; means for returning said table; means for limiting andadjusting the return movement of saidtable: means for holding said tableout of contact with said cam means during certain periods of rotation ofsaid cam means and in the lowermost position of said table;sound-deadening means on said table and on said limiting meanssubstantially as described.

7. In a shaking-machine for shaking confectionery into molds in which atable mounted on a frame is reciprocated by cam means, sound-deadeningmeans comprising a yielding abutment on the part of said table receivingthe impulses from said cam means; means for adjusting said yieldingabutments; supports on said frame; india-rubber pads on said supports;elastic supporting means in said table for the articles to be shakensubstantially as and for the purpose described.

In witness whereof I have hereunto signed my name, this 21st day ofSeptember, 1903, in the presence of two subscribing Witnesses.

BENJAMIN SEEBOHM ROWNTREE.

Witnesses:

ROBERT ERNEsT HILL, CHARLES DOWNEY.

